Faraway Quest from Home
by Yochime 17
Summary: AU Konoha's a powerful kingdom, so why were the Uchiha and Hyuuga, its main income givers, massacred? Sasuke is on a quest to find out who killed her clan, goes in a circle, and what's this? The King did it? FemSasu, FemNaru, BoySaku
1. Chapter 1

Summary: A genderbend story, where Naruto and Sasuke are girls and Sakura is a boy. Maybe a few more genderswitches here and there.

This stoy is set in the medieval/folklore/kingdom I'm not quite sure what it's called ^_^" Just the fact that there are kings, queens, villages, dukes

For those who recognise this story - yup, this was originally Pecha Pichu's. PP made me write it after a few chapters ... ^_^"

A somewhat distorted collaboration...

* * *

"Oi, hurry up, will ya?" the blonde-haired girl yelled down from the top of the cliff. "Get a move on!"

From the far distance down below, the shiny glint of a Konoha hitai-ate appeared, followed by a dark-haired girl in blue. She was panting comically hard as she slowly, slowly climbed up the giant rock. It was precariously tall and she was sure she could see a few wisps of low-hanging clouds below her. Footfalls and jutting out rocks stuck out everywhere, making it easy to scale. However, some of them were merely disguised packed soil, ready to crumble below and send the climber to their death. The girl could smell flowers and grass and ignored the temptation to rub her nose, determinedly holding in her sneeze. At hearing the blonde's voice, a vein twitched in her forehead.

"It's not that easy usuratonkachi! No one has been that freakishly huge stamina of yours!"

"This is a complete waste of time! Get up here or I'll be leaving your ass behind!" was the reply.

Naruko stood at the top of the cliff. At the very top was a beautiful flat clearing that overlooked the busy town of Konoha below. It was covered in moist, green grass and dotted with brightly coloured, tiny flowers – it could've been a scene made of candy. A few wisps of mist were left lingering from the morning and the dew still clung to the leaves, leaving a crystallized effect. There were no trees around nor in the clearing therefore leaving any person on top at danger of falling off and plummeting to the bottom at any moment, especially during windy mornings and nights.

A pale hand clutched at the grass behind Naruko and slowly, Sasuke levered herself onto the level floor. The girl's shoulder-length hair was drenched in sweat, and the forehead protector that acted as a headband was in danger of slipping off. She wore a blue sleeveless shirt with a white mini-skirt and black bike pants and blue sandals. On the other hand, Naruko's long hair was in two ponytails at each side of her head and she was dressed in an orange jacket with a shirt underneath and matching orange and black shorts. Her forehead protector hung around her neck loosely. Naruko heaved a sigh at her pitiful state and pulled Sasuke up. Though her pride was wounded at accepting help from Naruko, Sasuke knew that the foothold her left foot was one wouldn't hold on for much longer and in danger of crumbling any minute. Next time, she grumbled, she'd lose some weight before going climbing again.

Hell would be over when she admitted that she was grateful for Naruko's help.

With a final heave, Sasuke tumbled onto the grass, her backpack falling over her head as she landed. Naruko snickered and Sasuke withheld the urge to dock her over the head.

The wind blew and ruffled the girls' hair. Sasuke picked herself up and walked to the other side of the cliff, which was really, only five metres away. Hence how small the clearing was. Her eyes widened as she saw the town below.

Naruko grinned and swung her arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "What did I say? I told you Konoha was up 'round here!"

There it was, her home town, the place where she had grown up in. It had gotten busier over the years as Konoha made itself prosperous with good trade routes, an ambitious ruler and easy access from the rural parts. Gone were the big, patched huts, now replaced by brick, two-storey apartments. Gone were the carts and wheelbarrows, now replaced with stores and small shops. The people looked richer, prouder and haughtier than before. But under all that there was a still a sense of homeliness, seen in the warmth of the mothers' eyes, the yelling and rackus of the children as they ran to school (which _they_ were technically supposed to be in), the patched clothes of the men, held on tight by the poor, the conservative and the traditional. In the distance was the castle where the royal family lived, though they did little to influence the daily life in Konoha and were more like tales than real people.

Sasuke sensed Naruko walk up beside her. "It's been a while hasn't it?" Naruko said wistfully. "Since we've been here. Hell, we've spent half our lives exploring the country."

"Which was _your_ idea, by the way." Sasuke muttered. "What seven-year old suddenly decides to explore the countryside for an adventure without telling anyone? I got convinced by a moron like you and we ended up nearly dying after five days."

Naruko frowned. Sasuke was way too pessimistic here. Actually, they had survived for _seven _days and during a heatwave in the mountains been saved by old man Kakashi. And was wrong with a little adventure? To travel and be free of school? Now, Naruko was an optimistic person and she didn't have any parents to restrict her - the only friend she had was Sasuke whom was dragged along for her curiosities far more often than desired.

While they had been living, seeing, _experiencing_ things, the other kids at the academy were just reading out stupid passages of farms and pigs and the like.

Five years ago, seven-year old Naruko convinced seven-year old Sasuke to go on a week-long journey to the outskirts of Konoha. That week had been fun, camping, hunting, walking with nature though they had strayed farther than one thought. A day turned into a week, a week into a month.

Naruko and Sasuke, who were completely lost at that point, were saved by Kakashi and ended up living with the shepherd for a few years – meaning that Kakashi had failed to kick the two, no, _Naruto_ out for that period of time. On the other hand, Sasuke would've been more than happy to leave though. Seeing the two conflicted kids, Kakashi had taken the two barely-out-of-toddler-age girls and raised them like his own daughters.

Living like this for several years had been bad for Sasuke's allergies. She was allergic and suffered from rashes when met with grasses or pollen of any kind. It came to the point that Sasuke couldn't stand huddled up on a hill with the sheep and grass decided to run away, taking Naruto away with her. From this point on, all that was pressed upon was to find Konoha.

Sasuke would be hard-pressed to admit it, but she had been homesick. She had missed her mother, her father and her brother. She had wanted a routine life of going to school and coming home which Naruto had destroyed any hopes of. On the other hand, Naruto had enjoyed life immensely and returning to Konoha was merely another adventure, being an orphan.

Flashbacks and reflections aside, it would be safe to say they had finally found Konoha after a long, long time.

Sasuke looked down the cliff.

"Well, usuratonkachi, how do you expect us to get down from here and get to there?"

A/N

When I wrote this, I was imagining Naruto in his sexy-no-jutsu (12 years old?) and Sasuke's hair (and headband) like Sakura's in Part I Naruto

They'll be around genin age.

Clue for next chap: Prince Sakura is on board!

Criticism and reviews appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: A genderbend story, where Naruto and Sasuke are girls and Sakura is a boy. Maybe a few more genderswitches here and there.

* * *

Down, far down that cliff, at the edge of the castle …

"No, Sakuro-sama! You must jump, not duck! I've told you many times before!"

…. Was Prince Sakuro being chastised by his weapons master, Ebisu.

The young, pink-haired prince was sprawled across the grass, heaving in deep breaths as his teacher yelled and indignantly pointed out his mistakes. It was getting tiresome. The mistakes were always the same and the speech after was also, always the same.

"Sakuro-sama, you are the heir to the throne! When you succeed your father, you must know how to govern a kingdom! To lead an army! To understand the requirements of documents and treaties! Yet you cannot even win a brawl - it is utterly shameful to the royal family! What shall your father think, a young lad like you who cannot fight? What shall your mother think? A dreamy, unfocused prince! You are a teenager now …. !"

He zoned out and looked down at his palms. Steam was hissing from his left hand, its palm throbbing and fingers blistered. Controlling elemental magic was much harder than he had ever expected and not for the first time, Sakuro wished he had underwent the famous medic Senju Tsunade's tutelage when she had offered. To learn healing magic, a cool, calming green magic rather than the fiery elemental magics - where fire burned, water dehydrated, air cut and lightning sizzled and electrocuted.

Elemental magic was kept within the royal family and those who were born without the talent were not considered royal. It was taught secretly, away from the public's eyes and the only magic in the kingdom besides the jinchuuriki. The only time, however, elemental magic was used by the ruler was Hashirama Senju against Wind-country army but this was squashed down by the royal family as merely a 'myth'. There was no saying what the public would do when they realised that the monarchs who insisted on abolishing magic practiced magic themselves, giving them an advantage over ordinary civilians.

Sakuro looked up. He felt his laziness seeping in, as what happened every time he spent more than a few hours with his master.

"Ebisu."

The man stopped ranting midway. It was rare to hear his young highness speak. A dreamy fellow he was, and looked down for it.

"That's enough for today. I'm leaving now." He stopped up and began walking towards the castle.

"Your highness! That is preposterous! How could - " Ebisu's voice drowned out when Sakuro broke into a run.

It felt refreshing to be away from him; but Sakuro couldn't help smirking at the poor man's indignant yells behind her. The man had raised him as a child, forever hounding at his heels and berating him, yet Sakuro would be lying if he didn't feel any affection for the man. He was amusing, at the least, and was fond of him, at most - he was like a father, somehow - not that the King was that bad either. It was his mother that was the problem – a bossy, traditional ordinary woman whom the King picked up as a teenager and now obsessed with her current wealth.

Speaking of which, Queen Mebuki began storming down the corridors in a ridiculously long and elegant gown right in his direction.

Mebuki was muttering something under her breath but stopped short when she saw Sakuro.

"Sakuro! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Ebisu?"

_Oh no…._

Her green eyes, so like Sakuro's, narrowed as she pieced everything together.

"You've been skipping again, haven't you?"

_Don't talk, act innocent, act innocent!_

"Oh no you don't!" Mebuki must've been a mindreader or a witch to know what was going on in Sakuro's brain when he pulled an innocent face and began edging towards a corner.

Quick as an arrow, she darted toward and seized Sakuro's ear – which was supposed to stop the moment he turned five!

"OW!"

"Ow's right, son." Mebuki said grimly. "I'm taking you back to where you belong. Don't shove your nose in where it's none of your business."

_The damned hypocrite …_

The woman sank her fingernails into the – not ear, she still wasn't that cruel – into Sakuro's pink hair for grip and tightened her forefinger and thumb around his ear. Pain exploded from the left side of his head as sharp fingernails brushed the tender flesh of his ear and his hair was pulled. Sakuro bit his lip to stop his cry from coming out – raised by the nurses, the prince really didn't interact with his mother much at all – when Mebuki literally dragged him out into the courtyard.

"Ebisu! Get over here!" she yelled.

Ebisu hurried over, his sunglasses slightly slopped, and gaped at Sakuro. Sakuro flushed with embarrassment and nodded over to his mother, if only to distract him. It worked, though.

"Y-Your majesty!"

"_You_ are the teacher of my son? Just what are you doing, letting him run around like that?"

"I-I apologise, your majesty,"Sakuro held his breath – Ebisu was going to dob him in now. "H-However, I take all blame for not correctly disciplining the young prince. H-He does not deserve to be punished, for I have not correctly performed my duty as his carer and weapons master and have not properly taught and disciplined his young highness –"

"Aw, shut it." One thing Mebuki shared with Sakuro, she could not hold her patience with Ebisu's long winding words. She shoved Sakuro at Ebisu and snarled, "keep him on a _leash, _will you?" and stormed back to the castle.

The two stood in awkward silence.

"I. I-I'm sorry, Ebisu. For getting you in trouble and stuff and really …" Sakuro began rambling, but stopped as he saw an astonished smile take over Ebisu's face.

"Young Prince, I believe that was the first time I heard you apologise!" Ebisu himself was grinning, and behind those sunglasses his eyes were probably creasing as he smiled. It was a privilege, indeed, for him to receive words of gratitude or apology from a prince. "So, would you like to pause our session for the moment? I can show you something."

Ebisu dropped his things and led Sakuro towards the back gate of the palace courtyard. It was dense with trees, and easily missed. Ebisu parted a few branches (cursing as a few flicked his face) and gestured for Sakuro to look between the rails of the tiny gate.

Sakuro gasped.

The village.

Afternoon settling in, merchants were moving as a business day was over. A messy, closely knitted big village, brown and red in colour, bordered by the green hills and mountains that marked Konoha as 'hidden in the leaves'. The sun on the horizon cast an orangely glow on Konoha as merchants left town and families returned home. Two large courtyards surrounded by houses filled an entire quarter of the village, the clan districts.

"This …. This is Konoha?" he whispered.

Ebisu nodded.

"The village … the kingdom that I'll be ruling one day …" Sakuro turned to Ebisu, green eyes smiling. "Thank you for showing me this, Ebisu." He saw Konoha again. "I'll come one day, just you wait," a low whisper.

"No problem, your highness. After all, Happy Birthday."

* * *

A/N

I just realised that the story seems awfully rushed ...

I was trying to do a cliffhanger … but I had three parts and they all had cliffhangers (or appropriate places to end a chapter) - *sigh* I don't know what to do …

But thank you very much for reading!

R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

There was a crunch and the swallow's neck snapped in Sasuke's hand. The twittering bird immediately dropped its head and became still – Sasuke threw the bird onto the mounting pile of dead animals next to the campfire. Beside the campfire, Naruko was threading dead birds and chopped up rabbit onto sticks and laying them above the fire to cook.

"Oi, Sasuke, that's enough." Naruko gestured at the animal kebabs around her. "We have enough meat and Konoha's close enough. There's no need to get prepare so much food,"

Sasuke sighed and plopped down onto the log. The smell of metallic blood wafted from one side while the mouth-watering smell of the cooked meat wafted on the other – her eye twitched when she realized she was sitting on the blood side. Meanwhile, Naruko was chewing on her end of her 'kebab' stick, deep in thought. Sasuke wondered when the blond orange-obsessed brat would realize she was chewing on a branch picked up off the ground.

Geez, tomorrow, it would be another hours walk to Konoha.

In Konoha, at that moment …

Tonight, there was a full moon, completely white and round. Yet rolling clouds completely obscured it and drenced the village in pitch black. On the west side of the village, there was a scream and the sound of knife piercing flesh, then a thud and silence.

Then there would be another scream and the cycle would repeat. Scream, squelch, thud. Scream, squelch, thud.

Hiashi Hyuuga's body hit the ground, his long hair splayed around him, Byakugan on. He widened his eyes at the person standing above him, red eyes glinting with a malevolent glow. He tried to talk, but all that came out was a croak. Desperate, Hiashi painfully reached out his arm, dragging blood along the ground and clutched at the trouser leg of the person above him with a white-knuckle grip. It took all his remaining willpower and effort to look up into the person's red eyes.

"…. Survive …." Hiashi whispered and those were his last words before his head hit the ground and his grip let go.

Itachi disappeared into the night.

AN? *Cough* haha, yeah, these two paragraphs were supposed to be in the second chapter … but it just seemed all chopped up!


End file.
